


A Final Goodbye

by gothikuk



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Fantasy, Grey Wardens, Lothering, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 03:40:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13472946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothikuk/pseuds/gothikuk
Summary: Callum has come to the home of his late parents and a surprise meeting that ends an era but starts a new beginning.





	A Final Goodbye

A Final Goodbye

 

Lothering had come a long way, a very long way since the end of the Blight. Destroyed by the Darkspawn that rampaged through the Korchari Wilds, to be built again only to be destroyed when the Mages and Templars went to war. Now rebuilt again, a thriving community who truly believed the Maker had blessed their home and their lives. 

To the giant of a man that walked into town with two Mabari at his side, this was a home away from home. This was where his family had originated from. His mother fled from here to the Marches and yet, even though he was a Marcher, in his heart, as had so often been told him by the family he had here he was a Dog Lord. 

Callum Kennedy had returned to spend time with a family he had only just got to know. He had taken his sisters ashes to Dragons Peak and now he was here once more. So much had changed for him in the last few months. Learning to deal with the loss of an eye. The loss of a sister once found and then Gillys death, not that he worried about that too much. He had come to understand that perhaps them breaking up when they did had been a blessing. It was just a shame that she would not be able to continue a promising career within the famed Silver Order. He had seen her ashes off to Kirkwall to be given to her parents. One of the Keeps Wardens was heading out that way and said he would take them. 

What Callum had not said in his letter to her parents was the entire truth, their daughter had been drunk when she was fighting the rebels. They did not need to know that and they never would. No one ever would. It was something that he would keep to himself and one other. The young woman that was now Bann of Dragons Peak. 

Callum glanced at the dogs that walked either side of him. Valen was still young, barely out of puppy-hood and she was going to be a strong girl, full of youthful energy and happily bouncing round.. The other one who looked around herself and held herself with pride that came from a seasoned war dog, Tasia, she had been mooching around the Kennels and Cal told the Kennel master he would take her with him. Being out on the road might calm her down. 

He had also received Innes letter, asking him to look after her until he could find a place to settle. Although the Kennel Master understood how intelligent Mabari were, it had still been a strange site to see the one eyed man go down on one knee before the Alpha bitch of the Kennel and promise her he would return her to her master when he was able to. Whatever it was Tasia seemed to settle a little. So when Cal came to the Kennel to take Valen with him, he took Tasia too, 

“Callum!” 

He turned at the shout to see his cousin wave him over. Motioning with his head to the dogs he walked towards the Grey Goose Inn, owned by his grandparents and uncle. “Two Mabari, you are a Dog Lord now Cousin. Two..maybe there is some noble blood in you huh?” 

Callum shook his head and chuckled a little “In all honesty I think the Mabari choose their masters and mistress's, I don't think blood matters much Rory.” He shook his hand and was drawn into a hug “Besides this noble lady is a friends, I am looking after her for him” 

“Aye she looks fine. Young one looks full of life too. Come on lad, families waiting to see you. Ladies...” Rory let the two dogs go first. “Must be a stopping post there's another Grey Warden is in the inn” 

Cal nodded a little, not really interested. He had only just returned to duty and he was still uneasy around other Grey Wardens. Life at Vigils Keep was, different and not the same. Malachi was doing what he did best, Cal had no idea where he was but he missed him, a lot. 

Innes was on walkabout somewhere in Highever, Callum was annoyed at how the best Warden Commander ever to serve the Order had been treated. It was not Innes's fault that forces rallied against him, and with no help from Wieshaupt it made it next to impossible for the man to continue. Made his blood boil thinking about it. Truth be told, if Callum saw Innes again then he would still treat him as if he were the Arl and not just a Noble from West Hills. Innes had been good to him, so, if looking after Tasia for him while he found somewhere to settle was what was needed, then that was what he would do.

Amarlia was in the Deep Roads with Matthew, he had only just got to know the red headed lass and he hoped her and the Warden Constable were OK. Cal let his family greet him and took the ale that was given him. He took a seat in the corner and let the dogs settle. Taking a swallow he went back to his musings. 

Anza was with Dethfyn somewhere and the thought of her brought a smile to his face, slight as it was. He had been given her bow to look after but part of him wanted to go find her. It would have made no sense though, he had only just got back to full duties and to go rushing off to her aid would have made matters worse. Nope Anza could look after herself. Still, the thought of her made him touch his lips that memory lingering like a ghost that wouldn't leave and to be honest he didn't want it to leave. If the Maker saw fit to take her from this life, he would rather remember that kiss thank you very much. 

His hand moved to his pocket and frowning a little his fingers closed around a leather strip. Taking it out his eye widened as he saw the Ogre's tooth hanging from a leather chain. He ran the tooth over his finger. “Ah Caleb, where are you my brother?” he muttered to himself. 

“Standing right here, with beers in hand, notice I said beers and not Chasind Sack Meade. You brother are a clown when you get that stuff in you”

Cal looked up to see the tall smartly dressed man wearing the armour of a Grey Warden but, a Warden Commander???

“Caleb” Cal rose from his seat and grabbing his friend pulled him into a bear hug. Caleb let a grunt go, but the rare and not often seen smile crossed his face. “Warden Commander?” Cal stepped back “Say what now?”

Caleb heaved a sigh and sat down across from his friend. Taking a moment to look him over. Callum had come a fair way and Caleb was not sure if it would ever be right with him again, he certainly wouldn't blame him. To see him looking, better then he had a few months ago was a maker blessing though. Since Callums breakdown in the Dragon, Caleb had forced himself to re-evaluate what he wanted out of this life. 

“First things first, how you doing? Doing those exercises I gave you?” Caleb reached behind and let his brown hair flow over his shoulders. “And yes it got longer” 

Cal smirked and let his own hair down, almost the same length as Caleb's but not quite. “Beard doesn't suit you Caleb” 

“Oh I don't know” Caleb ran his hand along his well groomed beard “not as messy as yours but I think it looks quite distinguished on me” 

Callum laughed, the first real genuine laugh “I haven't shaved yet” Cal admitted “but the idea of you with a beard is going to take some getting used to, and yes I have been doing the exercises you left for me to do” 

Cal drank some more ale and looked down “Say hello to Mr Straight up and down girls”

Caleb arched an eyebrow and then uttered a choked laugh as he saw Valen and Tasia look up at him, obviously the bigger dog wanted her attention first. Recognising Caleb as one of her masters former inner circle, “You have Tasia?”

“Only until Innes calls for her” Cal sat back as some more ale was set down “Warden Commander?”

Caleb rubbed the back of his neck and looked around himself. The inn was small and with himself and certainly Callum sitting in there it seemed even smaller, but the people were friendly, of course it helped he was a Grey Warden, they seemed to have a deep respect for Grey Wardens here, especially seeing as one of their own was one. 

“I was sorry to hear about Selene, and Gilly” Caleb added. 

“Selene died doing what she believed, Gilly...well not much to say on that really.” Cal sat back and crossed one leg over the other. “But thanks.”

Caleb knew that tone and accepted it. The way his friend was looking at him intently and he was obviously waiting for an explanation and Caleb knew he would ask and keep asking. Best put him out of his misery and besides, the slimmer man was not even sure it had happened, that he would wake up and it would be all a strange and bizarre dream.

“I left the Keep to do a bit of soul searching I guess. With what happened to Innes, you and the others I didn't know where I fitted in or, like yourself, if I ever wanted to serve the Order that had let us down. With Catherine and her rebels being able to act like that, and with what happened to Innes before hand, then the rebel silver order doing what they did, it just seemed like a whole damn waking nightmare” 

Caleb sat back as two steaming plates of food was set before them. “Compliments of Morag boys” The waitress smiled then gave an extra smile at Caleb before heading back to the bar. Cal started laughing as he saw his friends embarrassed expression. 

“It never ceases to amaze me how you always attract the tavern wenches, what is it with you and these lasses”

“My winning smile?”

“One of these days my brother, you are going to succumb to their charms” 

“When I meet the right one Cal, you never know. You'll be OK though, they seem to like the bull like man”

Cal shook his head “Oh no, no thank you I am saving myself for someone else”

“You are hardly a virgin are you!” Caleb scoffed, the Callum he knew would never sleep alone, most the women he knew liked the bigger man and Caleb had it on good authority that there were some Grey Wardens at Vigils Keep who wanted to get to know him better.

“Not what I meant”

“I know what you meant, Anza by any chance?” 

“What? How did you know? and you're changing the subject Caleb!”

Now Caleb flashed a know it all grin that he had been dying to do since the two men had become friends. To see his friend flush with embarrassment for a change was a first and one Caleb took no small pleasure in. He loved it. 

“Oh come on big man, ever since you two got back from the Frostbacks the dynamic changed. I saw the way you looked at her, saw the way she looked at you on occasion. You are the only one who gets away with picking her up and swinging her round, anyone else would loose a valuable body part” Caleb liked this moment and it showed as his eyes lit up watching the the colour of his friends face match his hair. “I know you didn't cheat on Gilly but I also knew your feelings were changing, just before I could chat to you about it, things happened.” 

Callum was close to those he called his family. Malachi had been his mentor, Innes had been a peer Anza his dance partner, Coop his comic relief and Caleb had kept him grounded. Kept him going when he was in his recovery, they all had, and this was why he missed them all Even if Caleb was now enjoying turning the tables. 

“I seem to recall mentioning that you and Anza might have made a good couple” Cal pointed out chewing on a bit of boar meat. “As I recall you went three shades of white, almost the colour of Innes's hair”

“That's because Anza scared the hell out of me...she still does” Caleb reminded him.

“She's a pussy cat, just need to show no fear in front of her, you do and bang she's got yer,”

“I'll take your word for it” Caleb toyed with his food and was silent for a moment. 

His hand travelled to his own tooth, the first time he and Cal had a road trip together they ended up fighting an Ogre, it made him smile a little. More the fact his friend could drink any man under the table but serve him Chasind Sack Meade and he was on the floor. Still it was amusing the memory. 

“I found my way into Nevarra and well I walked in to their keep, helped them out a bit and ended up being offered the post of Warden Commander. They had no one else there who could do it” 

Cal nodded, a chuckle rumbling from his throat “and it sits well with you?”

“Well its the fastest promotion I have ever seen” Caleb picked his tankard up “but yeah it sits well with me, What about you? You would make a good Warden Constable” 

Cal choked on his ale and was still coughing when Caleb handed him a napkin. “er..*cough* no” Cal shook his head “No I don't think so. I am going to be training the newbies when they wake up and get over the first week of stuffing their faces. That assault course we built near the cottage will work wonders, even made the rope climb higher”

“Evil Cal”

“No what's evil is if they show signs of cockiness I send two Mabari after them. They don't know that these two are our dogs, the girls act like wild Mabari enough to scare the pants off the newbies. It works when they start lazing off”

Caleb arched an eyebrow and shook his head “You'd be a Sergeant Major in any other army”

Callum shrugged and stared at Caleb for a long time. To see his friend wear the armour of a Warden Commander was strange, but of them all, it seemed to sit well with the man. He was a fair man, and although he had a reputation for being straight up and down and by the book one you got to know Caleb, you would know that there was a heart of gold that beat deep within. 

A man that would do anything for his friends and a man that would lead his people. He had heard things in Nevarra were not as stressful as they were in Ferelden or Orlais but, with the tensions between Orlais and Nevarra, perhapes the Warden Castle would be able to play a part in protecting the peace. 

“Nevarra is a long way from home Caleb, why did you end up there?”

Caleb scratched his nose and heaved a sigh. “I was tracking the Silver Order who raped Alessandre” He admitted “I heard what happened and .. Gwaren is my home Callum. I was born there and raised there, Alessandre was not only a noble woman she was one of ours. So I went and tracked them to Nevarra”

“I would have come with you”

“I know my brother, but this is something I had to do myself. These men and women dirtied the name of the Order and dirtied the name of my home. I have no love for Adrian Black or his rule, but the people of Gwaren do not deserve to be tarred with that brush” Caleb had a hint of pride in his voice. 

He rarely talked about where he came from but from what he had just said, Callum could understand it. He had not been back to Kirkwall in years but that didn't mean he wouldn't go after a Kirkwallian if they had done something wrong on that level. 

“Where's your friend Tyrone?”

“Gone to Orlais” Cal shrugged “Things are not the same after all this time” He had been pleased to see his old friend, but things had changed as friendships do, and after all Tyrone only had come to Vigils Keep to see his friend. Now he was in Orlais, it would do him good, he did better with less suspicious people. 

Cal reached in to his pocket and took a battered Elven coin out and looked at it. “When I was a kid, my foster mother gave me this coin, it had been in her family for generations and although she couldn't remember why it was considered so lucky, she said it always gave her luck. She gave it to me and I kept it with me. Not that I think you need the luck or anything Cale you're made to be something bigger than people gave you credit for” He took Caleb's hand and pressed the coin into it “Whether you believe in luck or not, it might help” Cal picked his tankard up. “So, this is goodbye then?”

Caleb's head raised a little and he regarded the man that had become one of his closest friends. Caleb did not make friends easy, people did not gain his trust that easy either, but once they had then well, until they did something to make him change his mind, they were his friends. 

However that being said, Callum, Malachi, Amarlia and Anza had become family to him. The question the Marcher asked made him pause and a lump that got washed down by alcohol. appeared. 

“For now brother, it is aye” Caleb swallowed a few times and drank some more ale “But for today and the next couple of days how about we chill out find some trouble to get into and just relax”

“Trouble? You?” Cal laughed “Oh this I have to see. What you got in mind?” 

Caleb turned in his seat “Keep the ale coming miss, the big man needs to learn us smaller types can handle as much as him” 

“Bring it on Caleb” Cal rubbed his hands with glee. 

 

For the next couple of day the two men forgot about being grey wardens, helped out in the Inn tossing the drunks out or just reliving the good memories. Caleb told Cals family the story of the ogre and the Chasind brew. The one drink the big man could not handle. When it came to leaving both men were given a send off and Callums grandmother made Caleb promise he would stop in when he was in the area next. 

Cal walked Caleb to his horse and put the shield on the saddle grip. “So do I salute you now?” Cal asked with a serious tone to his voice. 

“Brother the day you salute me, is the day hell freezes over. You look after yourself Cal, We'll meet up one day I promise”

Cal rubbed his beard and tied his hair back “Lets say two years from now. We meet here, maybe with the others maybe not. Should be enough time for you to get your house in order”

“Two years?” Caleb thought for a moment or two “Two years it is. In the meantime, if you need me call”

Cal grasped the outstretched hand wrist to wrist and pulled Caleb to him then gave the man a kiss on the forehead. “You look after yourself brother. Go prove Innes right about you and take my … love with you.” The Marcher stepped back and brought his arm across his chest “Maker guide you Warden Commander of Nevarra.”

“Maker keep you, my brother, hey Cal, keep those newbies on their toes but don't be too harsh with them. They'll have a lot to learn” 

Cal nodded and stepped back as Caleb mounted his horse He waited until Caleb was out of sight and looked down at the two Mabari sitting by his feet “So Lady Tasia, do you think Innes will be proud?” 

Tasia barked twice and her tail thumped Valen joined in more exuberantly. 

“Yeah, me too” He glanced behind him and raised his hand to his grandmother “OK girls, lets go home.” He shook his head once “Warden Commander Caleb, has a good ring to it.” 

Digging his hands in his pocket Callum walked out of Lothering and turned north. He didn't see Caleb stop on a rise and watch him walk with the two dogs. He leant on his saddle and taking the coin from his pocket he looked at it for a long time, closed his fist around it and tucked it inside his armour. 

All his friends deserved something good to come from the events of the previous year, Callum probably more than most. Caleb patted the side of his horses neck and stroked it, his features returned from affection to stoic and he headed towards Orlais then onto Nevarra. A new chapter in his life. Years down the road the tales of Warden Commander Caleb would go down in Nevarran Warden History, for now though he was just rebuilding the Nevarran Order and it would take time. He would ensure that the mistakes of Vigils Keep were not repeated, nor would he allow the mistakes of Soldiers Peak manifest itself at the Silent Plains Stronghold. Mage, Rogue and Warrior would work side by side as brothers and sisters of the Order, not some fractured them and us. Caleb wouldn't allow it.


End file.
